British pop star Robbie Williams’s free Melbourne gig prompted city road closures as thousands of fans descended on Fed Square, many gathering more than eight hours before the 5pm start time.
Just 15 minutes shy of the scheduled start, the venue declared it was full and directed fans not yet inside the main area to an overflow site at Birrarung Marr, next to the Yarra River.
Williams, who is in Australia to promote his recently released biopic Better Man, announced the free pop-up show on Wednesday evening.
By late in the afternoon on Thursday the crowd had swelled to fill the outdoor space, which has a capacity of about 8,000.
Road closures in the CBD were in place from 3pm to 7pm between Russell and Elizabeth Streets and Flinders Street to Princess Bridge, Federation Square said. The area of the performance is one of the busiest sites in Melbourne’s CBD, directly opposite the entrance to Flinders Street station.
Late in the day on Thursday, Yarra Trams was forced to divert some services away from the area due to police requests.
-
Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email
Robbie fan Hazel said earlier in the day that by the time Williams took the stage she would have waited six hours in the sun for him.
“We love Robbie Williams. I got this done at the start of last year,” she said, referring to a large tattoo of the singer on her back. “It took two full days and it hurt a lot,” she said.
Williams was expected to perform a short set of hits from the movie, including the latest tune Forbidden Road, which has been nominated for a Golden Globe.
Fans Katherine and Kris said they had been waiting in the sun since midday for the show. Katherine was an extra in the film, digging out her Take That T-shirt from the 1990s to participate in a crowd scene filmed at Rod Laver Arena.
Williams’ biopic Better Man – which depicts the rise and fall of the singer’s stardom, and in which Williams is portrayed as a chimpanzee – was shot in Melbourne and received funding from the federal and Victorian government. Victorian film-maker Michael Gracey co-wrote and directed the movie.
The feature was claimed to be the biggest production project in the state’s history, with 3,000 jobs and more than $142m spent, according to the state government.
Williams addressed media before the gig, where he described the movie as the “biggest sales pitch” he’s been on and joked it was the “best film of the century”.
“It’ll go in order of The Godfather, Better Man: The Robbie Williams story,” he told reporters, standing alongside the Victorian minister for creative industries, Colin Brooks.
after newsletter promotion
“It’s a narcissist dream all about me. I wrote the songs, I said the words, I lived the life,” Williams said.
“My favourite part about the movie, and it’s strange at the same time, it’s touching people on a very profound level. It is the greatest hits of my trauma.”
Better Man also stars Steve Pemberton, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Alison Steadman and Kate Mulvany.
A spokesperson for Federation Square said safety was the highest priority for the pop-up event.
“That’s why additional safety measures have been put in place by Fed Square including an increased number of security, fencing, first aid, additional amenities, water fountains and a strong police presence,” the spokesperson said.
Williams, the headline performance at the ABC’s New Year’s Eve broadcast in Sydney, performed at the AFL grand final in 2022.
In 2023 he played two solo shows at AAMI Park.
A spokesperson for Victoria police said resources had been allocated to the concert.
“Our aim [is] to ensure those present have a safe and enjoyable evening,” the spokesperson said.
Source: theguardian.com
